Miami Dolphins talking points: Will Allen needs to pick it up

Miami has allowed a league-high 14.1 yards a completion as Allen has failed to play at the level he did the past two seasons.

Allen’s struggles kick off today’s talking points.

1. Cornerback Will Allen’s play is down this season.

Signed to a two-year extension in the off-season, Allen was expected to be the team’s top cornerback for a couple of seasons as rookies Sean Smith and Vontae Davis developed.

Instead, Allen seems to be in decline.

Toss out his big game (2 picks, 1 PD) two weeks ago in a rout of the hapless Bills and Allen has just two passes defensed in his four other games. The past two seasons, he had 28, as well as four forced fumbles.

If you include his two penalties, Allen yielded 127 passing yards in a loss at San Diego. Monday night against the Jets, Allen couldn’t handle the Jets’ Braylon Edwards, who’d been with the team less than a week.

Meanwhile, Smith, who leads the team with six PDs, was able to use his size (6-3, 214) and speed to stick with Edwards.

Allen also has five penalties this season, even though the one late in the game against Edwards was debatable.

Allen, 31 and in his ninth season, wouldn’t have lasted this long if he weren’t resilient. But so far he hasn’t been able to handle opponent’s top WR.

2. The Dolphins continue “flipping rocks.”

The Dolphins’ brain trust isn’t satisfied with the momentum of a two-game winning streak. But what’s new for a group that made roughly 160 roster moves in 2008, not including practice squad transactions.

Tuesday the team reportedly tried out three punters (Britton Colquitt, Adam Graessle, and Ricky Schmitt), according to Pro Football Talk.